CDC alters hepatitis B vaccination guidelines for newborns
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has officially abandoned the long-standing universal hepatitis B vaccination for newborns, opting instead for a recommendation that encourages individual decision-making between parents and healthcare providers, reports BritPanorama.
This decision marks a significant shift by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which was reconstituted in the summer by US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after he dismissed all previous members. The changes to the vaccination guidelines have raised concerns among health experts, who fear that it could lead to increased illness among children.
Since 1991, the CDC had recommended hepatitis B vaccination for all newborns, which successfully reduced the number of infections from an estimated 18,000 annually to around 20. Under the new guidelines, the CDC will recommend shared decision-making for mothers tested negative for the virus regarding the timing of vaccination, suggesting a wait until a child is at least 2 months old if the vaccination is not administered at birth.
Acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill stated, “This recommendation reflects ACIP’s rigorous review of the available evidence. We are restoring the balance of informed consent to parents whose newborns face little risk of contracting hepatitis B.” The CDC is currently evaluating whether to continue recommending testing for immunity in children when determining the need for subsequent vaccine doses.
Although vaccines are not mandatory, universal hepatitis B vaccination is still endorsed by many major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Concerns about the new guidelines have already materialized, with AAP President Dr. Susan Kressly noting an uptick in parents declining the critical first dose of the vaccine.
Hepatitis B is a highly infectious liver infection, transmissible through blood and sexual fluids, and can be passed from mother to child during delivery. The risk of chronic hepatitis B is notably higher among infected infants, with about 90% developing chronic disease, which can lead to serious long-term health complications.
Despite assurances that vaccine availability will not change and that insurers will continue to cover costs for those who wish to vaccinate their children, experts express concerns that the new recommendations may create confusion. Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, former director at the CDC, warned that the new phrasing might incorrectly suggest risks associated with the vaccine, undermining decades of evidence supporting its safety.
Dr. Retsef Levi, an ACIP member, argued that the revised recommendations are designed to empower parents to weigh risks, although others caution that such a shift could reverse hard-won public health gains. Dr. Cody Meissner, a pediatrician, insisted that changing the recommendation could lead to more infections, emphasizing that the health of infants is at risk without the timely administration of the vaccine.
A recent modeling study suggested that delaying hepatitis B vaccinations could increase infection rates and long-term health complications. Major medical organizations have urged the CDC to maintain universal vaccination recommendations, warning that the shift might allow for a resurgence of the virus in the US.
The implications of this decision will likely unfold over the coming months, as the healthcare community grapples with its potential impact on public health and vaccination rates. The situation warrants close monitoring, given the critical role effective vaccination strategies play in disease prevention.
